Work-Related Discrimination

Older Men answered questions on work-related discrimination in 1971, 1976, and 1980. In all three interviews, respondents reported whether they had experienced discrimination due to age, race, religion, or nationality; sex discrimination was also included in 1976 and 1980. If so, interviews of the Older Men followed up with a question eliciting information on the type(s) of discriminatory practice experienced, e.g., the respondent believed that he was not hired, interviewed, or promoted, or was demoted or laid off because of discrimination. All work-related discrimination questions asked of Older Men referred to the five-year period preceding each interview in which these data were collected.

The discrimination questions addressed to Young Men were very similar. In 1971 and 1976, Young Men respondents reported discrimination due to age, race, religion, or nationality; discrimination due to sex was included only in 1976. The questions in the surveys of Young Men referred to a period of two years before the interview date. The follow-up question regarding the type of discriminatory practice experienced was not asked of Young Men respondents.

Survey Instruments: Question numbers by cohort and survey year are as follows:

Older Men: 1971 (Qs 44-46), 1976 (Qs 27-28), 1980 (Qs16-17)

Young Men: 1971 (Qs 76-78), 1976 (Q 56)

User Notes

In the 1976 Young Men and 1980 Older Men surveys, the format of the discrimination questions shifted from a single "most important" response to a "mark-all-that-apply" list. These multiple responses have been coded in a geometric progression; users should refer to Appendix C.

Reference

Parnes, Herbert S. Work and Retirement Data: National Longitudinal Surveys of Middle-Aged and Older Men 1966-1976. Columbus, OH: CHRR, The Ohio State University, 1980.